The Last Trenchers
by Corsairs
Summary: Revised for character speechAfter the Sons of Korhal took the magistrate, and many more units. Those still left in the outskirts of Mar Sara, are left to fend for themselves. First Story, R


In the Trenches near Mar Sara's abandoned base, are two low on ammo, and battered marines.  
  
One of the marine climbed over some dust and dirt, and some body pieces of Zerglings.  
  
"Jericho, you got any ammo over there? I've got no nuttin' over here, it's a whole empty clip." The marine sat on the dusty ground, across from a Corpse of a Firebat.  
  
"If I had some mags, I still wouldn't give you any of the shit. The last time you waste a whole clip on a dead Hydralisk!"  
  
Jericho stomped over toward the corpse and battered marine. The Marine only snorted a reply, throwing down his wasted gun onto the ground.  
  
The Marine took a deep breath from his oxygen tank, and said, "How long have we've been trapped in this damn place, aye, Jericho?"  
  
Jericho gave a 'you should know' look, and walked around in the narrow trench toward the still functional bunker, and took out two boxes of ammo, and a bag of carbonated strawberries. "Hey Tom, want some berries?"  
  
The Marine looked up in a disgusted face, and exclaimed, "Jerry, That's the most horrifying food I've seen so far you get out of that bunker. Next time, bring up some decent food from that magic bunker of yours. Instead of some old carbon food, that tastes terrible. Even a can of tuna would have taste better."  
  
"Suit yourself, old timer. While I take a juicy bite from these carbonated berries, you can wait till another drop ship, drop some decent food." Jericho took up a strawberry from the bag and started to chew on its skin slowly.  
  
"Rascals these days wouldn't learn from a senior, I tell you its just horrible, it's just as horrible as eating dung. Oh by the way, Jericho, give me those boxes will you."  
  
"Damn it, Tom, your only two years older, and your talking like my grandpa; oh yes here catch it."  
  
Jericho threw the box toward the other marine.  
  
Flashback - On the Drop-ship heading toward Planet Mar Sara.  
  
Jericho looked with an expression only a camel could match, and he declared, "God, fuck. Tom, you're still doing your marine basic tactics? You've been doing it since yesterday. You should have been my junior.  
  
"You, shut it man. You ain't even felt the tremble of War. You know how it feels when a Zergling jumps right on top of you scratching your helmet with its claws? It's Fuck I tell you! Your names Jericho, right? You'll be facing it, when we get there, so shut up for now."  
  
Jericho looked away from the window in the Drop-ship, as Black armored marine continued to practice loading his gauss rifle. Jericho thought, God if I've got to go with this damn ass marine, I'll be dead in no time at all, Yep as soon as I land I'm going to write my old Nellie a letter.  
  
The Drop-ship trembled as it hit the atmosphere of the planet Mar Sara.  
  
Jericho squeezed tight onto the handle bar, his face scared, as if the Drop-ship was tumbling itself to their doom. He looked around grimly. Other Marines just smiled at him as if they were insane. Jericho took out his cross from his pocket and kissed it and hoped luck; as the Drop-ship continued its journey through the atmosphere of the planet. Tom on the other hand, was literally insane, he continued to pack up his ammo into boxes, and reload his rifle for the 26th time. He himself unlike the other marines was not strapped to the ship. He wasn't holding any bars either. He even laughed each time he finish packing ammo into the correct boxes.  
  
"This is your head speaking officer, we will be landing soon on the waste land of Mar Sara. This operation is to defend Mar Sara outskirts from any unidentified Creatures." "This is your pilot speaking (pop)"  
  
"God, stop chewing that bubblegum!"  
  
"Mr. Head Officer, chop you Head off"  
  
"This is the pilot, we'll be landing in Sector 32 in outskirt of Mar Sara, Captain Bunsen will be awaiting for the recruits. All senior report to Lieutenant Davidson, and by the way, The Green light will be on in 15 minutes. Please un-strap yourselves, and pick up any gum and give it to me. (Pop) we'll be landing soon. Thank you for taking the express to from Capital Ship Maria to Planet Mar Sara. (pop)"  
  
The drop-ship speaker became quiet, as the marines un-strapped themselves. And loaded their Gauss Rifle with the ammo-in-a-box and stood up in a straight line as it waited for the incoming thundering landing of the ship. Each Marine looked smart and proud, but Tom knows better, that they aren't coming back as heroes if they are dead.  
  
Jericho shook all over, looking for help at Tom. The Marine stared at him and the others with an uneasy eye. The more Jericho looked at Tom the more he shivered. As the Cadet turned his gaze away from the Tom's eyes, the cockpit in front began to buzz. The bulb by his ear went from red to green, slowly, all the marine left there seats and push and shoved others until they were in a straight line. Jericho placed himself with the other recruits and waited for the hatch to open.  
  
The Hatch in the back squealed and sputtered as the metal left its secured position and began to fall slowly than faster onto the ground. As the first rays of the hot sun of the planet fell into the drop-ship, two men fell together embraced. Others looked at them with sheer horror. Suddenly from a shadow blocked the piercing rays of the sun. Jericho looked up and saw a man in blue colored armor blocking the exit out of the drop-ship.  
  
"Good morning girls had a good trip I hope. All girls here are required to wear the visor on your helmet to protect your sensitive eyes from that sun up above. Off course if you don't want to, you can end up like those two," the man pointed toward the two men on the ground, "I'm John Davidson, Lieutenant to seniors. This isn't training camp though, I'm here to show you the equipment and ready you for what might come up. Oh Cadets, you march toward that sun over there for around 20 miles and you'll see Captain Bunsen. He'll be giving you a review on how to use the gauss rifle's auto-target system, since he said you can't fire a thing. Go on Cadets, I'll see you in combat." Davidson saluted to the troops and the recruits started marching.  
  
Jericho was just about to begin marching, when a hand snatched and pulled him into the line of the seniors. Jericho swears an oath and turns around to look at his assailant. It was the black armored marine.  
  
Tom could see some spirit in the marine's eyes, when they were in the ship. Since he can't talk through the visors, he turned on his COM link and set it to the name of Jericho. "Jericho, I'm a Sergeant, and I'll frankly tell you," It was those eyes that looked at him on the ship, queer you could say, that had made me decision. The speakers on my helmet replied, "Hey, I didn't know your some blasted Sergeant? So, why exactly, did you pull me out of the platoon?  
  
"Jericho hush, I...I...you know Recruits? They aren't going to become generals, Cadets are always the first line, to...well...die. When I first looked upon you, I had a feeling that you and I might do something successful together."  
  
The reply came back just as fast as before, "Really? Nice... Thanks, maybe I saw you wrong on the ship.  
  
Tom was just about to reply when, Davidson looked over to him, "Thomson, this isn't the day for chit chat. I hope you didn't miss any of the emergency help call symbol. You too, Mr. Bushwhack, get back in formation, we're going to begin marching to our bunkers. This time, the Cadet is in the second defense line, closets to Mar Sara Base. We, you ask? We're going to be the first line and farthest away from the Base. Sorry to disappoint you boys."  
  
"Just great, Tom. I take that back, you just messed up my career."  
  
Flashback ends Trenches...  
  
Tom opened the lid of the ammunition boxes and peered inside, "God, there aren't any bullets for the gun I'm using." He spilled all the ammo onto the ground and started to browse through them.  
  
"Tommy, what gun you're using anyway? Weren't you using a Gauss rifle, like everyone else in the ranks?" "Yeah I was, until I wasted it out onto a Hydralisk," Jericho snorted, "anyway, I saw this dead ghost next to me, so I threw away my rifle and picked up his charged up," Jericho jumped up from his lazy sitting, and stared widely at his friend, "Canister."  
  
Jericho opened his mouth to say something, nothing came out. He closed his mouth and tried again, "A...Canister...? Oh gosh, that's special weapons for those so called, Specialists. Lord, you're holding a Canister, the C- 10! Man, wish I picked one up."  
  
"Yeah, you would, wouldn't you? However, what use is it, with it aren't got any shots to deal out to those critters out there."  
  
"Hey Tom, you let me see that C-10?"  
  
"Sure, here you go; it's a beauty."  
  
Jericho stared and checked the gun up and down, comparing it with his slow, ordinary looking gauss. "You know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know I could go check out the CB if there's any left over ammo, I mean our commanding officers were mostly consisting of Ghost."  
  
Tom turned his head with amazement and horror, "You really don't know how dangerous that bunker is. The last time we went there, we were attacked by some large critter. I won't go there for anything even if to get some dice for my gun."  
  
"Comon' man, you Chicken or something? All we're just doing is going into the Commanders' Private Bunkers."  
  
"Yeah, you go ahead, I'll stay here and watch your bunker, while you get the ammo, I need, Deal?" Tom looked toward his comrade, and exclaimed after looking at the sadistic face on Jericho, "Oh right, I'll go with you to that godforsaken place. If we meet anything, we'll run back over here, and I'll just trade this Canister for one of those guns over there." Tom pointed toward the Gauss rifle lying across their previous owners, which were lined up against the wall of the trench.  
  
"It's a Deal, Tom!"  
  
Both marines shook hands in agreement, Jericho packed up some ammo and the senior checked that his armor suit was still usable.  
  
"What if we meet some nasty things down there, what will you use to protect yourself? What's your choice of weapon; a colt, pistol or the handy ever, grenades?"  
  
"A pistol would do fine; we should go now, before night comes."  
  
"Yeah, let's go"  
  
The blue suited marine marched to the left narrow trench from their home bunker trench toward his destination, with his pal tagging along behind him. The Red suited marine marching behind his senior thought about what they'll meet next. Hoping it ain't as scary as those waves of critters attacking them the first time he was in combat.  
  
Flashback in packed up Bunkers  
  
"Lieutenant, we're being over swarmed over here with those critters!"  
  
"Hold your fire!"  
  
"Dam shit, don't listen to him, and just fix those critters well!"  
  
John nodded his head and peered through the window of the bunker, and fired a wave of bullets into the opponents. A screech of deaths was heard from the hundred creatures, the bullet had sprayed onto. Few of the critters dropped, pained, and were run over by the stampede.  
  
"Corporal, I said hold your fire!"  
  
"Sorry Sir couldn't help it." Another marine spoke defensively for his friend, "I told him to shoot, Sir, but Sir, if you don't mind. What are we suppose to do in Bunkers, against these Swarms, if we're not here to diminish them."  
  
"You would have heard why, if you had listened to me earlier. Ask your pal, if you need to know. David, I wasn't here to tell you to hold your fire. Has any of you seen Private Bushwhack and Sergeant Thomson?"  
  
Both soldiers pondered at the names, and shook their heads, John piped up, "No Sir, I can't say I have. If you're relating to Jericho Whacker, he's at the north east, 32 meter bunker away from us."  
  
The Lieutenant looked queer at the reply, "Jericho Whacker? Close enough, I'll check it out." The Lieutenant was just about to open the hatch to go into the battlefield, one of the marines asked fearfully.  
  
"Sir? Wouldn't you get killed as soon as you step outside, with all these critters jumping around with their claws? You'll be cut into shreds!"  
  
"Private, they don't call me Lieutenant Davidson for any reason. I can cloak my way through all this mess. Didn't you wonder how I came to you bunker from my CB all the way over here safe and sound?"  
  
With a proud huff, the Lieutenant disappeared, and the hatch of the bunker opened and closed in a few second, as if a ghost had opened it. John looked toward David, and exclaimed, "No wonder ghost are called ghost." 


End file.
